I have two comments to say about your question(s)

1) I just had my car taken in yesterday to get two of the tires changed (300 bucks), and i had asked the mechanic to check the brakes, and they came back with an estimate for 850 bucks to change all four brakes (rotors and pads). Since changing brakes isnt too much of a streatch (im not so mechanically inclined myself), I priced out the parts online, and can get new pads and rotors for my beemer for about 250 bucks. Guess which option i am going to take. I would suggest that you go get decent mechanic to give you a brake inspection (cost me 20 bucks) and have him print you out a parts list. Shop these online (if you have a common car, this shouldnt be too hard to find). Next, find an online manual for the instructions on changing brakes for your car, or go to a Kragan and get the owners manual for your car, which should diagram how to do this. Finally, recruit a buddy or buddies who knows the difference between a torque wrench and a ratchet, and make promises of beer and good times. The project shouldnt take more than an afternoon, and you will get to have a good time hanging out with your friends, and saving money (600 bucks in my case).

To your second point - about adding unnecessary parts/stuff...

Since I am in sales, and i deal with fortune 500 accounts where keeping a customer is infinately easier than finding one - I NEVER cheat my customers on selling them something they dont need...ever... period. You might get one good sale out of them by raping and pillaging, but the real reward is in the long term relationship sales that i have had over my career.

Hope this helps!

PS if you do the brakes yourself, PM me with how it went